The Hollywood Reporter | 'Creed' Review

Sylvester Stallone doesn't get back in the ring in Creed, but he still comes away as a big winner in this far-fetched but likeable offshoot of the geriatric Rocky series, as he may be more appealing playing the aging Rocky Balboa than he's been since the beginning of his forty-year career. Essentially taking on the role of Burgess Meredith's old trainer Mickey character from the series' early days, the veteran actor delightfully registers as a paisano from the old neighborhood, a man of the streets who's lived his life, fought his battles and has no more scores to settle. From the points of view of director-co-writer Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan, this marks some major mainstreaming after their bracing 2013 breakthrough with Fruitvale Station; dramatically, it's the same old Rocky formula applied now to the hitherto unknown son of the late Apollo Creed. It worked before and, commercially, looks to work again.